Civil War Gatling Gun

Richard Gatling’s hand-cranked gun was patented during the American Civil War. Rotating barrels allowed successive cartridges to be loaded, fired, and extracted, but the weapon was not yet the fully automatic machine gun of later conflicts. It saw limited wartime use and became more widely associated with military service after the Civil War.

The earliest versions used arrangements that changed as metallic cartridges became more reliable. Operating the crank supplied the mechanical action, distinguishing the gun from recoil- or gas-operated automatic weapons. Although commanders tested or purchased a few during the Civil War, it did not become a standard weapon across Union armies. Postwar adoption by the United States and foreign armies made the design internationally familiar. Later versions increased practical effectiveness and were used in colonial and frontier conflicts. The rotating-barrel principle subsequently reappeared in powered modern weapons, though their operating systems were very different.

Finish and color

Supplied unpainted and printed in the selected color. Choose from the available product color options.

Tabletop use

Suitable for period-appropriate custom scenarios in the Global War series of games by Historical Board Gaming and compatible Axis & Allies games. Use suitable scenario or house rules for unit statistics and any technology upgrades. This piece does not supply additional game rules.

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